In circuit board connector applications where adjacent lead contacts form a signal pair, the spacing between the contact mounts at the circuit board may affect signal integrity. For example, the spacing may affect skew, cross-talk, and impedance.
In some orthogonal applications, the contact mounts for a signal pair may be oriented at a 45.degree. angle to the contacts. For example, in an orthogonal mid-plane architecture, two daughter boards, orthogonal to each other, may each connect to each side of a mid-plane circuit board. The connectors may mount to the mid-plane through common vias. Because each connector may provide a 45.degree. difference between the contact mounts and the contacts, the connectors that mate to the daughter boards may be 90.degree. rotated relative to each other. For each connector to achieve this 45.degree. angle, each lead of a signal pair may include an transverse offset, or bend, in opposite directions such that the transverse offset matches the contact pitch.
Generally, connectors are manufactured in families with compatible geometry such as common contact pitch. Where the transverse offset matches the contact pitch, a single connector family lacks the flexibility to define a via spacing specific to the signal integrity and physical design requirements of different applications. Thus, there is a need for an orthogonal connector where the spacing between the contact mounts may be varied independently of the contact pitch.